Emma's First Word
by Fitzpatrick41
Summary: Post 2x03 fic! Snow White said that she imagined teaching Emma to talk in the nursery. My take on how that would have gone!


Snow White imagined evenings like this, evenings after long days of dealing with kingdom matters and queenly duties. She imagined standing in the doorway of the nursery watching her little baby daughter playing on the floor with her toys given to her by various people in the kingdom…people that adored the young princess. Snow lets out a happy sigh as she looks down at her daughter playing on the floor and walks further into the nursery towards Emma.

Snow White smiles down at her young daughter with a huge smile on her face. The one year old little girl with beautiful green eyes and blonde hair in two little pigtails smiles back as she claps her hands down on the floor excited to see her mother looking down at her.

Snow looks down at the little girl with a determined look in her eyes. She has spent the last couple months trying to teach Emma to talk in the nursery and has decided that tonight…tonight was the night Emma was going to say her first word.

"Hi, my Sweet Girl!" Snow coos as she bends down to the floor in front of Emma leaning over to place a sweet kiss on top of the little baby's soft head of hair.

Emma looks up at her momma and gives her a huge smile letting a loud giggle escape. Snow laughs at her little girl's silliness and grabs a hold of her underneath her armpits lifting her up as she too stands up. The young mother places a kiss on Emma's cheek as she supports Emma in her arms holding her tight before looking the baby in the eyes. "Today's the day Em."

Emma ignores Snow's declaration becoming engrossed with her mother's diamond necklace. She reaches her little hand and grabs a hold of the necklace looking at intently. Snow White sighs a bit looking down at Emma studying the shiny object. She starts to bounce Emma up and down a bit in her arms trying to get her attention off of the necklace. Emma lets out a giggle and looks up at her mother.

"Okay Baby…can you say Mama?" Snow White asks Emma as the little girl looks at her confused. Snow then tries speaking slower, trying to get Emma to look at the shape her lips are making. "Mama….Mama."

Emma just lets out a big squeal trying to jump up and down in Snow's arms wanting to be bounced up and down again.

Snow White bounces Emma up and down obliging the little girl before taking a deep breath and giving it another try speaking slowly once again. "Mama….Ma….Ma."

Emma just tilts her little head at her Mama not quite getting what is wanted from her. She looks at Snow with her beautiful green eyes but her mouth stays firmly shut. Snow White bites her lip grinning at the sight of her daughter with the same looking Charming gets whenever he doesn't want to say something…something usually would regret.

"Okay Emma, how about…." Snow White starts as she looks around the nursery for another word to try to teach to Emma. He eyes land on the little stuffed bear on the rocking chair in the corner of the room. "Bear…can you say bear Honey? Bear…Bear."

"You've resorted to bear?" James asks from behind his two favorite girls.

Snow White turns around towards the door at the voice and sees her husband with his charming grin leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed across his chest. "Charming."

"Bear?" James asks amused as he heads over to his wife and daughter.

"I'm desperate." Snow harrumphs as she looks back at Emma whose mouth is still firmly shut. She studies her daughter and raises an eyebrow at her. "It's as if she is rebelling against me."

"Honey, she's not even one." James says laughing amused at her wife. "I think we have a few years before we have to worry about her teenage rebellion."

Snow sighs and decides to try again with Emma. "Okay Emma…can you say Papa? Say Papa…Papa."

But Emma still having no desire to talk smiles at Snow and reaches her little hand over to Snow's lips touching them, still wondering why her Mama's lips are moving so slow. Snow shakes her head a bit at her stubborn daughter and kisses the little fingers touching her lips before looking over at her husband who is trying not to laugh at her failed efforts but failing miserably as a chuckle escapes James lips.

"Charming!" Snow exclaims offended as she gently swats James with her free hand before slipping it back underneath Emma supporting her in her arms.

"I'm sorry!" James laughs defending himself as she wraps his arm around Snow bringing her into his side for a hug, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Our daughter is very lucky to have such attentive and patient mother."

Snow rolls her eyes before resting herself against James, relaxing in his embrace. She closes her eyes inhaling James' scent and when she opens up she sees her beautiful daughter in her arms.

James looks at Snow starring at Emma and places his hand on top of Emma's head, massaging it a bit. "Emma's just waiting for the right moment to surprise us….isn't that right Sweetie." He adds as he reaches his hand in to tickle Emma's stomach causing the girl to laugh out loud at her silly Papa.

Snow smiles at her daughter and turns to face James looking deep in his eyes. "This is how I imagined it."

"Imagined what?" James asks confused.

Snow holds back happy tears as she takes a breath steadying herself. "This is how I imagined teaching Emma to talk. I imagined holding her in my arms and driving myself crazy trying to get her to speak…with you and your arms wrapped around the both of us."

"That's how you imagined this huh." James says with a big smile.

Charming nudges James with her hip playfully. "Yes, this is exactly how I imagined it Charming."

James chuckles and leans in to give Snow a kiss just as Grumpy appears at the door looking into the nursery. "Your Majesties the castle is secure for the night."

"Thank you Grumpy." Snow White says smiling at the man.

"GUMPY!" Emma exclaims cheering seeing her friend standing in the doorway.

Surprised Snow and Charming look down at their daughter both in a state of shock at hearing their daughter say her first word…Grumpy.

"Did…did she just say….what I think she just said." Snow asks shaking her head trying to wrap her head around what just happened.

"I think she did." James says laughing.

Grumpy looks at the family confused. "Am I missing something?"

"Emma just said her first word, your name Grumpy." James informs the dwarf.

Grumpy's face gets a shade of beat red blushing as he tries to hide his excitement. A smile slips through his lips before he coughs in his hand trying to hide it and getting back to being the tough dwarf he prides himself in being. "That's nice…I should go double check some things." He says before retreating down the corridors.

Emma sees Grumpy leave and waves her little hand up and down. "GUMPY!"

Snow shakes her head and looks at James who is once again biting his lip. "Grumpy."

"Was Grumpy the first word you imagined Emma saying?" James teases her wife.

"Uhh…no." Snow says still shaking her head letting out a chuckle before turning to face a smiling Emma. "Emma! You said your first word!"

Emma brings her little hands back up to her Mom's face and touches her smiling cheeks. Snow continues to laugh and leans in to give Emma a kiss on the cheek. "Mama is so proud of you Baby."

But Emma is no longer thinking about Grumpy bit instead the woman holding her as she jumps in Snow's arm excitedly. "MAMA!"

Snow's mouth drops open and her heart leaps in her chest. "She said it…she said Mama. She said Mama!" she says as she looks at James bursting with joy.

"That she did." James says with a nod of his head as Snow continues to smile proudly.

"That's Mama's girl!" Snow says as she lifts Emma above her head causing Emma to giggle and kick her little legs excitedly. "You said Mama! Yes you did, yes you did."

Emma giggles some more as Snow brings her back down resting her back in her arms. Snow squeezes Emma tight in her arms, resting her cheek on top of Emma's head. "You said Mama." She whispers softly.

James smiles but can't help but take the opportunity to tease his wife. "After she said Grumpy."

"That is neither here nor there Charming." Snow warns as she sways with Emma in her arms bursting with joy….yes this is how she imagined it."

* * *

**THANKS FOR READING!**


End file.
